Identification of the hydrogeochemical processes and assessment of groundwater quality using classic integrated geochemical methods in the Southeastern part of Ordos basin, China

Identification of hydrogeochemical processes in shallow groundwater using multivariate statistical analysis and inverse geochemical modeling

Identifying key factors that control the chemical evolution of groundwater along groundwater flow direction is essential in ensuring the safety of groundwater resources in upper watersheds and lower plains. In this study, the ion ratio, multivariate statistics, and inverse geochemical modeling were used to investigate and explore the chemical characteristics of groundwater and factors driving the formation of groundwater components in the plain area of Deyang City, China. The chemical type of groundwater in the area was dominated by the HCO3-Ca type, and the variation in groundwater chemical composition was mainly affected by water-rock interaction and human interference. The water-rock interaction process includes carbonate dissolution, oxidation-reduction reactions, and cation exchange. Furthermore, inverse geochemical modeling revealed that the dissolution of evaporite minerals, dissolution/precipitation of carbonate minerals, and weathering of silicate minerals play a key role in the hydrogeochemical evolution of groundwater. Owing to dissimilar geological and hydrological conditions, hydrogeochemical evolution processes differ along different and similar paths. Overall, this study not only provides a conceptual framework for hydrochemical evolution in plains but also has important implications for the sustainable management of groundwater resources in other basins within plains.

Spatiotemporal variability of groundwater chemistry, source identification and health risks in the southern Chinese Loess Plateau

Groundwater pollution of the loess plateau regions has become a global concern due to its vulnerability to natural and anthropogenic influences. In this study, 146 water samples were investigated to identify the spatiotemporal variability in groundwater chemistry, pollution sources and nitrate health risks in two interconnected river basins of a typical loess region. The results showed that except for bicarbonate, spatiotemporal variability of hydrochemical components in Malian River Basin (ML) was generally greater than that in Upper Jinghe River basin (JH-U) due to the hydrogeological conditions, and the hydrochemical facies in two river basins transformed from SO4·Cl and Cl·SO4 types to HCO3 and HCO3·SO4 types. The results of integrated-weight quality index (IWQI) showed that 77.8 % (1970s), 33.3 % (2004), 34.3 % (2015) of samples in ML exceeded the standard limits of Class IV groundwater quality, displaying a high pollution level with an improvement trend, while groundwater quality in JH-U indicated a very low pollution level with a deterioration trend. The geogenic source was identified as a main factor affecting groundwater quality, with contributions of 59.2 % and 48.7 % in JH-U and ML (2015), respectively. The anthropogenic sources including agricultural activities (20.7 % and 21.8 % in JH-U and ML) and coal mining activities (20.1 % and 29.5 % in JH-U and ML) also played a role in affecting groundwater quality. The nitrate health risk assessment demonstrated that 39.1 % and 20.3 % of groundwater samples (2015) significantly exceeded the standard threshold (Hazard Index = 1), implying a higher health risk to children than adults, and the nitrate health risk in ML was obviously greater than that in JH-U. This study provides novel insight into the spatiotemporal variability in groundwater chemistry, quality and health risk in loess regions under the influence of geogenic and anthropogenic factors.

Hydrochemical characteristics, control factors and health risk assessment of groundwater in typical arid region Hotan Area, Chinese Xinjiang

The Hotan region of Xinjiang is an arid region in northwest China, where water resources are scarce, and groundwater is the main water supply. In this study, a self-organizing map (SOM), positive matrix factorization (PMF), hydrochemical diagrams, and health risk assessment model were used to analyze the sources and controlling factors of groundwater chemistry, and evaluate health risks of nitrate and fluoride. The results showed that the evaporation process and water-rock interaction were the main factors influencing groundwater chemistry in the region. Based on the SOM, 239 groundwater samples were divided into six clusters. The main hydrochemical types were Cl-Na, HCO3-Na, and SO4-Ca. Natural factors such as evaporation, water-rock interaction and cation exchange play important roles in Cluster 1-2 and 4-6, while Cluster 3 is mainly polluted by nitrate. Fluoride pollution, primarily caused by geological processes, and nitrate pollution, caused by human activities, cannot be ignored. Attention should be paid to the high non-carcinogenic risk of fluoride and nitrate exposure through drinking water, especially for children. These results provide a theoretical basis for the rational development and utilization of local water resources and ecological environmental protection. The study suggested that the combined method of the SOM and PMF provides a reliable approach for interpreting nonlinear and high-dimensional hydrochemical data.

Driving mechanism of groundwater quality and probabilistic health risk quantification in the central Yinchuan Plain

The environmental changes from climatic, terrestrial and anthropogenic drivers can significantly influence the groundwater quality that may pose a threat to human health. However, the driving mechanism of groundwater quality and potential health risk still remains to be studied. In this paper, 165 groundwater samples were analyzed to evaluate the groundwater quality, driving mechanism, and probabilistic health risk in the central Yinchuan Plain by applying fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method (FCEM), redundance analysis (RDA) and Monte Carlo simulation. The results showed that hydrochemical evolution of groundwater were strongly influenced by water-rock interaction, evaporation and human activities. While 55.2% of groundwater samples reached the drinking water quality standard (Class I, II and III), 44.8% of samples exceeded the standard limits of Class III water quality (Class IV and V), indicating a high pollution level of groundwater. Mn, TDS, NH4+, NO3-, Fe, F-, NO2-, As were among major indicators that influence the groundwater quality due to the natural and anthropogenic processes. The RDA analysis revealed that climatic factors (PE: 10.9%, PRE: 1.1%), GE chemical properties (ORP: 20.7%, DO: 2.4%), hydrogeological factors (BD: 16.5%, K: 4.1%), and terrestrial factors (elevation: 1.2%; distanced: 5.6%, distancerl: 1.5%, NDVI: 1.2%) were identified as major driving factors influencing the groundwater quality in the study area. The HHRA suggested that TCR values of arsenic in infants, children and teens greatly exceeded the acceptable risk threshold of 1E-4, indicating a high cancer risk with a basic trend: infants > children > teens, while TCR values of adults were within the acceptable risk level. THI values of four age groups in the RME scenario were nearly ten times higher than those in the CTE scenario, displaying a great health effect on all age groups (HQ > 1). The present study provides novel insights into the driving mechanism of groundwater quality and potential health hazard in arid and semi-arid regions.

Hydrogeochemical characteristics and agricultural suitability of shallow groundwater quality in a concentrated coalfield area of Huaibei Plain, China

Groundwater is one of the chief water sources for agricultural activities in an aggregation of coal mines surrounded by agricultural areas in the Huaibei Plain. However, there have been few reports on whether mining-affected groundwater can be adopted for agricultural irrigation. We attempted to address this question through collecting 71 shallow groundwater samples from 12 coal mining locations. The Piper trilinear chart, the Gibbs diagram, the proportional coefficient of major ions, and principal component analysis were examined to characterize the source, origin, and formation process of groundwater chemical composition. The suitability for agricultural irrigation was evaluated by a final zonation map that establishes a comprehensive weighting model based on analytic hierarchy process and criteria importance though the intercriteria correlation (AHP-CRITIC). The results revealed that the groundwater was classified as marginally alkaline water with a predominant cation of HCO3- and anion of Na+. Total hardness, total dissolved solids, sulfate (SO42-), sodium (Na+), and fluoride (F-) were the primary ions that exceeded the standard. The results also indicated that the dominant hydrochemical facies were Ca-HCO3 and Na-Cl. The dissolution of carbonate, silicate, sulfate minerals, along with cation exchange, were the main natural drivers controlling the hydrogeochemical process of groundwater. The zonation map suggested that 43.17%, 18.85%, and 37.98% of the study area were high, mediate, and low suitability zones, respectively. These results from this study can support policymakers for better managing groundwater associated with a concentration of underground coal mines.

Combined tactic of seasonal changes and ionic processes of groundwater in Tamirabarani river basin, India

This research is to develop dictated metrics using a multi-proxy approach such as spatial-temporal analysis, statistical evaluation, and hydrogeochemical analysis. We have collected 45 groundwater samples located in the Tamirabarani river basin. To evaluate the aptness of developed metrics for agriculture and domestic needs and eleven years dataset has been analyzed and compared with national and international standards BIS, ICMAR, and WHO Monitoring and all the analysis results revealed that the concentration of calcium (Ca-1679 to 4937 mg/L; and Cl ions 236 to 1126 mg/L) and chloride ions was on the higher side in locations. These higher values may be attributed to the regional point sources as untreated water disposal and off-peak sources as agriculture practices. According to the results of the principal component analysis, the post-monsoon season accounted for an 84.2% variance. The major analyzed cations and anions have been observed in the following order: Na+  > Ca2+  > Mg2+  > K+ and Cl-  > HCO3-  > SO42-  > NO3- respectively. Ca-Mg-HCO3, Mg-Ca-Cl, Na-C1, and infused waters have been discovered in the basin region, indicating that anion and cation dominance is not prevalent. This specifies that groundwater quality in this region is significantly degraded and suffers from extensive salinity due to the urban pollutants mixed with unprotected river sites.

Hydrochemical characterization and comprehensive water quality assessment of groundwater within the main stream area of Yishu River

To gain a comprehensive understanding of the hydrochemical characteristics, controlling factors, and water quality of groundwater in the main stream area of Yishu River (MSYR), a study was conducted using water quality data collected during both the dry and wet seasons. Through statistical analysis, hydrochemical methods, fuzzy comprehensive evaluation, and health risk evaluation modeling, the water chemical characteristics of the main stream area of Yishu River were studied, and the water quality of the area was comprehensively evaluated. The findings indicate that HCO3- and Ca2+ are the predominant anions and cations in the MSYR during the dry and wet seasons, respectively. Moreover, anion concentration in groundwater follows HCO3-  > SO42-  > NO3-  > Cl-, while cations are ranked as Ca2+  > Na+  > Mg2+  > K+. Overall, the groundwater manifests as weakly alkaline and is predominantly classified as hard-fresh water. During the wet season, there is greater groundwater leaching and filtration, with rock and soil materials more readily transferred to groundwater, and the concentrations of main chemical components in groundwater are higher than those during the dry season, and the hydrochemical types are primarily characterized as HCO3-Ca·Mg and SO4·Cl-Ca·Mg types. These results also suggest that the chemical composition of the groundwater in the MSYR is influenced mainly by water-rock interaction. The primary ions originate from the dissolution of silicate rock and carbonate rock minerals, while cation exchange plays a critical role in the hydrogeochemical process. Groundwater in the MSYR is classified mostly as class II water, indicating that it is generally of good quality. However, areas with high levels of class IV and V water are present locally, and NO3- concentration is a crucial factor affecting groundwater quality. In the wet season, more groundwater and stronger mobility lead to greater mobility of NO3- and wider diffusion. Therefore, the risk evaluation model shows that nitrate health risk index is higher in the wet season than it is in the dry season, with children being more vulnerable to health risks than adults. To study groundwater in this area, its hydrochemical characteristics, water quality, and health risk assessment are of great practical significance for ensuring water safety for residents and stable development of social economy.

Evolution of groundwater hydrochemical characteristics and formation mechanism during groundwater recharge: A case study in the Hutuo River alluvial-pluvial fan, North China Plain

A pilot project for groundwater recharge from rivers is currently being carried out in North China Plain. To investigate the influence of river recharge on groundwater hydrochemical characteristics, dynamic monitoring and analysis of groundwater samples were conducted at a typical recharge site in the Hutuo River alluvial-pluvial fan in the North China Plain from 2019 to 2021. Hydrochemical, isotopic, and multivariate statistical analyses were used to systematically reveal the spatiotemporal variation of groundwater chemistry and its driving factors during groundwater recharge process. The results showed that the groundwater hydrochemical types and characteristics in different recharge areas and recharge periods exhibited obvious spatiotemporal differences. The groundwater type varied from HCO3·SO4-Na·Mg to HCO3·SO4-Ca·Mg in an upstream ecological area, while the groundwater type changed from SO4·HCO3-Mg·Ca to HCO3·SO4-Ca·Mg in the downstream impacted by reclaimed water. Changes in the contents of Ca2+, Mg2+ and HCO3- were mostly controlled by the water-rock interactions and mixing-dilution of recharge water, while the increases in Na+, NO3-, Cl-, SO42- and NO3- contents were mainly due to the infiltration of reclaimed water. Nitrogen and oxygen isotope (δ15N and δ18O) tests and the Bayesian isotope mixing model results further demonstrated that nitrate pollution mainly originated from anthropogenic sources, and the major contribution came from manure and sewage, with an average proportion of 64.6 %. Principal component analysis indicated that water-rock interactions, river-groundwater mixing and redox environment alternation were dominant factors controlling groundwater chemical evolution in groundwater recharge process.

Study on inverse geochemical modeling of hydrochemical characteristics and genesis of groundwater system in coal mine area - a case study of Longwanggou Coal Mine in Ordos Basin

The exploitation of coal resources has disturbed the equilibrium of the original groundwater system, resulting in a perturbation of the deep groundwater dynamic conditions and hydrochemical properties. Exploring the formation of mine water chemistry under the conditions of deep coal seam mining in the Ordos Basin provides a theoretical basis for the identification of sources of mine water intrusion and the development and utilization of water resources. This paper takes Longwanggou Coal Mine as the research area, collects a total of 106 groups of water samples from the main water-filled aquifers, comprehensively uses Piper trilinear diagram, Gibbs diagram, ion correlation, ion ratio coefficient and mineral saturation index analysis, and carries out inverse geochemical modeling with PHREEQC software, so as to analyze the hydrochemical characteristics and causes of the main water-filled aquifers in deep-buried coal seams in the research area. The results show that the main hydrochemical processes in the study area are leaching and cation exchange, and the groundwater is affected by carbonate (calcite, dolomite), silicate (gypsum) and evaporite. Calculations of mineral saturation indices and PHREEQC simulations have led to the conclusion that the dissolution of rock salt and gypsum in groundwater accounts for most of the ionic action. Na+, Cl- and SO42- are mainly derived from the dissolution of rock salt and gypsum minerals, while Ca2+ and Mg2+ are mostly derived from the dissolution of dolomite and calcite. The results of the inverse geochemical modeling are consistent with the theoretical analysis.

Identification of hydrochemical fingerprints, quality and formation dynamics of groundwater in western high Himalayas

Identifying hydrochemical fingerprints of groundwater is a challenge in areas with complex geological settings. This study takes the Gilgit-Baltistan, a complex geological area in west high Himalayas, Pakistan, as the study area to get insights into the hydrochemcial genesis and quality of groundwater in complex geological mountainous regions. A total of 53 samples were collected across the area to determine the hydrochemical characteristics and formation of groundwater. Results revealed groundwater there is characterized by slightly alkaline and soft fresh feature. Groundwater is dominated by the hydrochemical facies of HCO3·SO4-Ca·Mg type. The factor method yields three components (PCs) of principal component analysis, which together explain 75.71% of the total variances. The positive correlation of EC, TDS, Ca2+, SO42-, K+ in PC1, and NO3-, Cl- in PC2 indicate that a combination of natural and anthropogenic activities influences groundwater hydrochemistry. Water-rock interaction is the main mechanism governing the natural hydrochemistry of groundwater. The negative correlation of Cl-, SO42-, Ca2+, and Na+ with NDVI attributes to inorganic salt uptake by plant roots. Groundwater chemical composition is also affected by the type of land use. Groundwater is characterized as excellent and good water quality based on the entropy-weighted water quality index assessment, and is suitable for drinking purposes except for very few samples, while aqueous fluoride would pose potential health threats to water consumers in western high Himalayas, and infants are most at risk compared to other populations. This study will help to deepen the hydrochemial formation mechanism and exploitation suitability of groundwater resources in the mountainous areas that undergone the combined actions of nature and human activities, and provide insights into the characteristics of water environmental quality in western Himalayas area.

Hydrochemistry, quality, and integrated health risk assessments of groundwater in the Huaibei Plain, China

Groundwater is an essential freshwater resource utilized in industry, agriculture, and daily life. In the Huaibei Plain (HBP), where groundwater significantly influences socio-economic development, information about its quality, hydrochemistry, and related health risks remains limited. We conducted a comprehensive groundwater sampling in the HBP and examined its rock characteristics, water quality index (WQI), and potential health risks. The results revealed that the primary factors shaping groundwater hydrochemistry were rock dissolution and weathering, cation exchange, and anthropogenic activities. WQI assessment indicated that only 73% of the groundwaters is potable, as Fe2+, Mn2+, NO3-, and F- contents in the water could pose non-carcinogenic hazards to humans. Children were more susceptible to these health risks through oral ingestion than adults. Uncertainty analysis indicated that the probabilities of non-carcinogenic risk were approximately 57% and 31% for children and adults, respectively. Sensitivity analysis further identified fluoride as the primary factor influencing non-carcinogenic risks, indicating that reducing fluoride contamination should be prioritized in future groundwater management in the HBP.

An appraisal to hydrochemical characterization, source identification, and potential health risks of sulfate and nitrate in groundwater of Bemetara district, Central India

Gypsum-enriched aquifers (GEA) and intensive agriculture regions (IAR) in semi-arid regions are responsible for very high amounts of sulfate and nitrate in many groundwater systems of the world, respectively. However, in such regions, the problem of nitrate pollution and its associated health risk has been increasing and emerging as a global issue. However, along with nitrate, sulfate contamination and its potential health risks are often neglected worldwide in these regions. Therefore, considering sulfate along with nitrate as a significant threat to water quality in such regions, this study aimed to characterize hydrochemistry, factors controlling groundwater quality, and assessment of risk to human health. To accomplish this objective, 116 groundwater samples were collected over pre-monsoon (PRM) and post-monsoon (POM) (2019) seasons in Bemetara district. As per Bureau of Indian standards (BIS) for drinking, SO42- (28 and 19%) and NO3- (7 and 35%) exceeded the permissible limits in PRM and POM seasons, respectively; thereby, groundwater was not suitable for drinking. SO42- and NO3- pollution sources were identified and mainly attributed to gypsum dissolution and agricultural activities as well as domestic sewage discharge, respectively. In addition, SO42-and NO3- risk assessment results show that total 20% to 46% of all samples surpassed the permissible limit (HQ = 1) of risk to children and adults, over both seasons. To ensure drinking water security in this region, sustainable management of agricultural activities and treatment should be done to reduce the potential health risks due to SO42- and NO3-.

Hydrogeochemical characteristics and recharge sources identification based on isotopic tracing of alpine rivers in the Tibetan Plateau

Alpine rivers originating from the Tibetan Plateau (TP) contain large amounts of water resources with high environmental sensitivity and eco-fragility. To clarify the variability and controlling factors of hydrochemistry on the headwater of the Yarlung Tsangpo River (YTR), the large river basin with the highest altitude in the world, water samples from the Chaiqu watershed were collected in 2018, and major ions, δ²H and δ¹⁸O of river water were analyzed. The values of δ²H (mean: -141.4‰) and δ¹⁸O (mean: -18.6‰) were lower than those in most Tibetan rivers, which followed the relationship: δ²H = 4.79*δ¹⁸O-52.2. Most river deuterium excess (d-excess) values were lower than 10‰ and positively correlated with altitude controlled by regional evaporation. The SO₄^2- in the upstream, the HCO₃^- in the downstream, and the Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ were the controlling ions (accounting for >50% of the total anions/cations) in the Chaiqu watershed. Stoichiometry and principal component analysis (PCA) results revealed that sulfuric acid stimulated the weathering of carbonates and silicates to produce riverine solutes. This study promotes understanding water source dynamics to inform water quality and environmental management in alpine regions.

Spatial distribution and driving factors of groundwater chemistry and pollution in an oil production region in the Northwest China

Concerns have been raised on the deterioration of groundwater quality associated with anthropogenic impacts such as oil extraction and overuse of fertilizers. However, it is still difficult to identify groundwater chemistry/pollution and driving forces in regional scale since both natural and anthropogenic factors are spatially complex. This study, combining self-organizing map (SOM, combined with K-means algorithm) and principal component analysis (PCA), attempted to characterize the spatial variability and driving factors of shallow groundwater hydrochemistry in Yan'an area of Northwest China where diverse land use types (e.g., various oil production sites and agriculture lands) coexist. Based on the major and trace elements (e.g., Ba, Sr, Br, Li) and total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), groundwater samples were classified into four clusters with obvious geographical and hydrochemical characteristics by using SOM - K-means clustering: heavily oil-contaminated groundwater (Cluster 1), slightly oil-contaminated groundwater (Cluster 2), least-polluted groundwater (Cluster 3) and NO₃^- contaminated groundwater (Cluster 4). Noteworthily, Cluster 1, located in a river valley with long-term oil exploitation, had the highest levels of TPH and potentially toxic elements (Ba, Sr). Multivariate analysis combined with ion ratios analysis were used to determine the causes of these clusters. The results revealed that the hydrochemical compositions in Cluster 1 were mainly caused by the oil-related produced water intrusion into the upper aquifer. The elevated NO₃^- concentrations in Cluster 4 were induced by agricultural activities. Water-rock interactions (e.g., carbonate as well as silicate dissolution and precipitation) also shaped the chemical constituents of groundwater in clusters 2, 3, and 4. In addition, SO₄^2--related processes (redox, precipitation of sulfate minerals) also affected groundwater chemical compositions in Cluster 1. This work provides the insight into the driving factors of groundwater chemistry and pollution which could contribute to groundwater sustainable management and protection in this area and other oil extraction areas.

Hydrochemical variations and driving mechanisms in a large linked river-irrigation-lake system

A linked river-irrigation-lake system exhibits intricate and dynamic hydrochemical variations, closely related to changes in natural conditions and anthropogenic activities. However, little is known about the sources, migration and transformation of hydrochemical composition, and the driving mechanisms, in such systems. In this study, the hydrochemical characteristics and processes in the linked Yellow River-Hetao Irrigation District-Lake Ulansuhai system were studied, based on a comprehensive hydrochemical and stable isotope analysis of water samples collected during spring, summer, and autumn. The results showed that the water bodies in the system were weakly alkaline with a pH range of 8.05-8.49. The concentrations of hydrochemical ions showed an increasing trend in the water flow direction. Total dissolved solids (TDS) were less than 1000 mg/L (freshwater) in the Yellow River and the irrigation canals, and increased to more than 1800 mg/L (saltwater) in the drainage ditches and Lake Ulansuhai. The dominant hydrochemical types varied from SO₄•Cl-Ca•Mg and HCO₃-Ca•Mg types in the Yellow River and the irrigation canals to Cl-Na type in the drainage ditches and Lake Ulansuhai. The ion concentrations in the Yellow River, the irrigation canals, and the drainage ditches were highest during summer, while ion concentrations in Lake Ulansuhai were highest during spring. The hydrochemistry of the Yellow River and the irrigation canals was mainly affected by rock weathering, while evaporation was the principal controlling factor in the drainage ditches and Lake Ulansuhai. Water-rock interactions including the dissolution of evaporites and silicates, the precipitation of carbonates, and cation exchange were the main sources of hydrochemical compositions in this system. Anthropogenic inputs had a low impact on the hydrochemistry. Therefore, greater attention should be paid in future to hydrochemical variations, especially salt ions, in the management of linked river-irrigation-lake system water resources.

Hydrochemical and isotopic fingerprints of groundwater origin and evolution in the Urangulan River basin, China's Loess Plateau

The origin and evolution of groundwater in the Urangulan River basin area under growing concern as its situated in an economically and ecologically crucial area of China. In the present study, a combination of different methods (i.e. self-organizing maps (SOM), piper diagrams, ionic ratios, multiple isotopic analyses and Bayesian isotope mixing model) provided an efficient way for analysing groundwater origin and evolution. The hydrochemical type was found to be Ca-HCO₃ in low TDS and Na + K-Cl or Na + K-SO₄ in high TDS groundwater. According to the δ²H and δ¹⁸O_water values, groundwater in the study area mainly originated from atmospheric precipitation and was influenced by evaporation. In addition, the rock weathering in conjunction with the cation exchange completely dominated the geochemical evolution process. The dual SO₄^2- isotope and Bayesian isotope mixing model showed that gypsum dissolution, fertilizer input and sewage input were the main sources of SO₄^2- in the study area, accounting for an average of 30.2 %, 28.5 %, and 17.3 % of SO₄^2- in the groundwater, respectively. Other than water-rock interactions, human activity (mining and irrigation) distributed throughout the study area in combination with the spatial characteristics was the dominant factor controlling the hydrochemical evolution. The results of this study provided a basis for understanding groundwater origin and evolution while facilitating the effective management and utilization of groundwater.

Assessment of groundwater geochemistry for drinking and irrigation suitability in Jaunpur district of Uttar Pradesh using GIS-based statistical inference

The quality of groundwater in the Jaunpur district of Uttar Pradesh is poorly studied despite the fact that it is the only supply of water for both drinking and irrigation and people use it without any pre-treatment. The evaluation of groundwater quality and suitability for drinking and irrigation is presented in this study. Groundwater samples were collected and analysed by standard neutralisation and atomic emission spectrophotometry for major anions (HCO₃^-, SO₄^2-, Cl^-, F^-, NO₃^-), cations (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, K⁺), and heavy metals (Cd, Mn, Zn, Cu, and Pb). The geographic information system (GIS) and statistical inferences were utilised for the spatial mapping of the groundwater's parameters. The potential water abstraction (i.e. taking water from sources such as rivers, streams, canals, and underground) for irrigation was assessed using the sodium absorption ratio (SAR), permeability index (PI), residual sodium carbonate (RSC), and Na percentage. According to the findings, the majority of the samples had higher EC, TDS, and TH levels, indicating that they should be avoided for drinking and irrigation. The positive correlation coefficient between chemical variability shows that the water chemistry of the studied region is influenced by geochemical and biological causes. According to the USSL (United States Salinity Laboratory) diagram, most of the samples fall under the C2-S1 and C3-S1 moderate to high salt categories. Some groundwater samples were classified as C4-S3 class which is unfit for irrigation and drinking. This study suggests that the groundwater in the study area is unfit for drinking without treatment. However, the majority of the samples were suitable for irrigation.

Source identification and health risks of nitrate contamination in shallow groundwater: a case study in Subei Lake basin

Nitrate pollution of groundwater has become a global concern as it can affect drinking water quality and human health. In this paper, an extensive hydrochemical investigation was performed to assess the spatial distribution, source identification, and health risk of groundwater nitrate pollution in the Subei Lake basin. The prevalent pollutant, nitrate (NO₃^-), was identified based on descriptive statistical method and box plots, and most of the other parameters of groundwater samples met water standards and can be used for drinking purpose. The results showed that nearly 23.53% of groundwater samples displays the NO₃^- concentrations higher than the limit of 50 mg/L recommended by the World Health Organization, and the highest nitrate content (199 mg/L) is mainly distributed around the Mukai Lake. Piper triangle diagram demonstrated that the dominated anions of hydrochemical types exhibit a gradual evolving trend from HCO₃^- to SO₄^2- and Cl^- with increasing nitrate concentration. The correspondence analysis suggested that agricultural activities are identified as the most possible source of nitrate contamination, while the higher content of other parameters in individual groundwater samples may be controlled by natural factors. The impacts of pollutant NO₃^- on human health were quantified using human health risk assessment method, and results showed that the order of non-carcinogenic health risk values through drinking water intake is Infants>Children>Adult males>Adult females, and 65%, 53%, 41%, and 35% of samples exceed the acceptable risk level (hazard quotient=1), respectively. The main findings obtained from this study can provide valuable insight on drinking water safety and groundwater pollution prevention.

Spatiotemporal characteristics of groundwater quality and health risk assessment in Jinghe River Basin, Chinese Loess Plateau

Groundwater is a very important natural resource for humanity, however, the degradation of groundwater quality caused by anthropogenic activities may pose a serious hazard to human health and ecosystem. In this study, 143 groundwater samples were analyzed to investigate the spatiotemporal variations of hydrochemistry, groundwater quality and potential human health risk of groundwater in Jinghe River Basin, Chinese Loess Plateau. Based on the mean concentrations value (MCV) and over-standard rate (OSR), the groundwater in Jinghe River Basin were divided into three groups: Group Ⅰ (high MCV: greater than standard values and high OSR: ≥ 10 %) contains TDS (total dissolved solids), TH (total harness), SO₄^2-, F^- and Fe; Group Ⅱ (low MCV and high OSR) contains pH, Cl^-, NO₃^-, Cr⁶⁺ and As, Group Ⅲ (low MCV and low OSR) contains NO₂^-, NH₄⁺, Zn, Mn, Pb, I^- and Cd. The results of set pair assessment indicated that the unsuitable and doubtful class of comprehensive groundwater quality are mainly distributed in the northern part of study area, accounting for 29 % and 13.6 % of the area in 2004 and 2015, respectively. Human health risk assessment based on the triangular fuzzy number suggested that the variation of risk levels in different age groups is Children > Adult Men > Adult Women. Average carcinogenic risks of As in groundwater for the three groups exceed the acceptable level, and non-carcinogenic risk of NO₃^- for Children is higher than the acceptable threshold. The findings of this study provide valuable insight into the spatiotemporal characteristics of groundwater quality and potential health risks of polluted groundwater by anthropogenic activities.

Hydrochemical evaluation of water quality and its influencing factors in a closed inland lake basin of Northern China

Understanding the water quality and its influencing factors of different water bodies is essential for managing water resources in closed inland lake basins in semi-arid regions. However, generally, groundwater or surface water is assessed separately, and the differences among different water bodies are neglected. This study assessed the water quality and its influencing factors of different water bodies in the Daihai Lake Basin (a closed inland lake basin in a semi-arid region) by analysing the hydrochemical data of groundwater, and spring, river, and lake waters in the dry and wet seasons. The dominant hydrochemical type of groundwater (81.48%), spring water (80%), and river water (83.33%) was HCO3–Ca•Mg, while that of lake water was Cl-Na (100%). Groundwater, spring water, and river water were suitable for drinking and agricultural irrigation; however, the groundwater quality was worse in the wet season than in the dry season. Na+ and Cl– majorly affected the lake water quality. The mean NO3– concentration in groundwater was 28.39 mg/L, and its non-carcinogenic hazard quotient indicated that high risk areas were mainly distributed in Tiancheng and northern Maihutu. The hydrochemical compositions of groundwater, spring water, and river water were mainly influenced by rock (silicate and carbonate) weathering and cation exchange, and agricultural activities were the main sources of groundwater NO3–. Moreover, the lake hydrochemical composition was mainly affected by evaporation and halite dissolution. Thus, groundwater NO3– pollution and lake water salinisation should be prioritised. These findings provide a more thorough understanding of water quality and its influencing factors in the closed inland lake basin in the semi-arid region, and can be used to develop the protection of ecosystems and water resources management strategies in the Daihai Lake Basin.

Coupling of multi-hydrochemical and statistical methods for identifying apparent background levels of major components and anthropogenic anomalous activities in shallow groundwater of the Liujiang Basin, China

Natural background levels (NBLs) is a prerequisite for distinguishing anthropogenic groundwater pollution and judging the evolution of groundwater quality. However, due to regional differences of hydrogeochemitry and water-rock interaction, coupled with long-term anthropogenic activities, it is no longer accurate to assess NBLs with only statistical methods or without considering human impact. Herein, multi-hydrochemical and statistical methods were examined to identify apparent background levels and anthropogenic anomalous activities of shallow groundwater by selecting Liujiang Basin as a study area. The results showed that the differences in hydrochemical characteristics among each hydrogeological unit (HU) fully illustrated the necessity of rationally dividing HU for background value identification. The application of the concept of apparent background levels (ABLs), that is, incorporating normal human activities into the background levels, efficiently solved the problem of being unable to obtain pristine NBLs due to long-term human activities. The coupling of Hydrochemistry and Grubbs' test (Hydro-Grubbs) was confirmed as the optimal method in identifying and eliminating anthropogenic groundwater anomalies, performing sufficiently superiority when compared with purely statistical methods. It is mainly because the Hydro-Grubbs method not only considers the discreteness of the data itself, but also considers the internal connection and evolution process of the hydrochemical compositions. For the eliminated abnormal points, 91.0-93.6% of which have been effectively explained by pollution percentage index and the impact of coal mining, industrial activities, residents, agricultural activities, and septic tanks leakage, proving the rationality and reliability of Hydro-Grubbs method and ABLs evaluation result. This finding will assist in accurately identifying anthropogenic pollution on a regional scale and guiding future efforts to protect groundwater resources.

Combining data-intelligent algorithms for the assessment and predictive modeling of groundwater resources quality in parts of southeastern Nigeria

Machine learning algorithms have proven useful in the estimation, classification, and prediction of water quality parameters. Similarly, indexical modeling has enhanced the evaluation and summarization of water quality. In Nigeria, works that have incorporated machine learning modeling in water quality analysis are scarce. Although studies across the globe have utilized overall index of pollution (OIP) and water quality index (WQI), works that have simulated and predicted them using machine learning algorithms seem to be scarce. Studies have not simulated nor predicted OIP. In this paper, several physicochemical parameters were analyzed and used for groundwater quality modeling in southeastern Nigeria based on integrated data-intelligent algorithms. Standard methods were followed in all the analysis and modeling performed in this work. OIP and WQI were computed, and their results revealed that 80% of the groundwater resources are suitable for drinking whereas 20% are highly polluted and unsuitable. Pearson's correlation analysis and R-mode hierarchical clustering revealed the possible sources of contamination. Meanwhile, agglomerative Q-mode hierarchical clustering and K-means (partitional) clustering were used to show the spatial demarcations of water quality in the area. Both clustering algorithms identified two main water quality classes-the suitable and unsuitable classes. Furthermore, multiple linear regression (MLR) model and multilayer perceptron neural networks (MLP-NN) were used for the estimation and prediction of the water quality indices. With low modeling errors, both MLR and MLP-NN showed very strong predictions, as their determination coefficient ranged between 0.999 and 1.000. However, MLR slightly outperformed the MLP-NN in the prediction of OIP. The findings of this paper would enhance sustainable water management in the study region and also contribute great insights to the national and global water quality prediction literatures.

Key Factors Dominating the Groundwater Chemical Composition in a Grain Production Base: A Case Study of Muling–Xingkai Plain, Northeast China

Groundwater quality in the Muling–Xingkai Plain (MXP) is closely related to food security and human health. The chemical composition of groundwater in MXP has attracted great attention. A total of 168 groundwater samples were collected in MXP, and principal component analysis, chemical ion analysis and stable isotopic analysis were used to explore key factors affecting the chemical composition and hydrochemical evolution process of groundwater. Results show sources of chemical ions in groundwater are silicate minerals, carbonate minerals and domestic sewage. Domestic sewage is responsible for groundwater with high levels of Cl−, SO42− and NO3−, but a reduction environment can lead to groundwater with a high level of NH4+ due to nitrification. Human activity and soil media together influence groundwater chemical composition. Groundwater with a high level of chemical ions is mainly collected from wells near river channels, where coarse-textured soils are overlying aquifers. The black soil far away from river channels can retard the infiltration of wastewater. Agricultural activities do not directly lead to deterioration of groundwater qualities, and agricultural non-point-source pollution does not occur in MXP. Nearly 70% of the population in MXP is living in the southern plain, where the influence of sewage on groundwater chemical composition is obvious. Thus, shallow groundwater far away from river channels is the best choice for irrigation. Some measures should be implemented to control the discharge of domestic sewage for the protection of groundwater. In addition, it is necessary to avoid the transformation of the redox environment of groundwater in the northern plain.

Hydrochemical characteristics and formation mechanisms of groundwater in west Zoucheng City, Shandong Province, China

Groundwater is an important water source for domestic, industrial, and agricultural use in the western part of Zoucheng, China. Understanding its hydrochemical characteristics and formation mechanisms is important for the sustainable development and utilization of groundwater. In this study, 36 water samples were collected during the wet and dry seasons, respectively, and the hydrochemical components such as K⁺, Na⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Cl^-, SO₄^2-, HCO₃^-, NO₃^-, F^-, TH, and TDS were analyzed. A graphical method, correlation analysis, and principal component analysis were applied to explore the hydrochemical characteristics and evolution mechanisms of groundwater in the study area. The results show that the orders of the anion and cation concentrations of karst groundwater and pore groundwater are Ca²⁺  > Na⁺  > Mg²⁺  > K⁺ and HCO₃^-  > SO₄^2-  > Cl^-  > NO₃^-  > F^-, respectively. On the whole, the karst groundwater quality is better than the pore groundwater quality, which in turn is better than the surface water quality. In addition, water quality in the dry season is better than water quality in the wet season for all the three water sources. The hydrochemical types of groundwater are complex and changeable. Compared with dry seasons, HCO₃ and SO₄ type water increase during the wet seasons, while the Cl type and Mg type water decrease. Na type is significantly more prevalent in pore groundwater than in karst groundwater. The chemical formations of karst groundwater and pore groundwater in the dry and wet seasons are mainly affected by water-rock interactions and human activities.

Geochemical Modeling Source Provenance, Public Health Exposure, and Evaluating Potentially Harmful Elements in Groundwater: Statistical and Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA)

Groundwater contamination by potentially harmful elements (PHEs) originating from the weathering of granitic and gneissic rock dissolution poses a public health concern worldwide. This study investigated physicochemical variables and PHEs in the groundwater system and mine water of the Adenzai flood plain region, in Pakistan, emphasizing the fate distribution, source provenance, chemical speciation, and health hazard using the human health risk assessment HHRA-model. The average concentrations of the PHEs, viz., Ni, Mn, Cr, Cu, Cd, Pb, Co, Fe, and Zn 0.23, were 0.27, 0.07, 0.30, 0.07, 0.06, 0.08, 0.68, and 0.23 mg/L, respectively. The average values of chemical species in the groundwater system, viz., H+, OH−, Ni2+, Mn2+, Mn3+, Cr3+, Cr6+, Cu+, Cu2+, Cd2+, Pb2+, Pb4+, Co2+, Co3+, Fe2+, Fe3+, and Zn2+, were 1.0 × 10−4 ± 1.0 × 10−6, 1.0 × 10−4 ± 9.0 × 10−7, 2.0 × 10−1 ± 1.0 × 10−3, 3.0 × 10−1 ± 1.0 × 10−3, 1.0 × 10−22 ± 1.0 × 10−23, 4.0 × 10−6 ± 2.0 × 10−6, 4.0 × 10−11 ± 2.0 × 10−11, 9.0 × 10−3 ± 1.0 × 10−2, 2.0 × 10−1 ± 2.0 × 10−3, 7.0 × 10−2 ± 6.0 × 10−2, 5.0 × 10−2 ± 5.0 × 10−2, 2.0 × 10−2 ± 1.5 × 10−2, 6.0 × 10−2 ± 4.0 × 10−2, 8.0 × 10−31 ± 6.0 × 10−31, 3.0 × 10−1 ± 2.0 × 10−4, 4.0 × 10−10 ± 3.0 × 10−10, and 2.0 × 10−1 ± 1.0 × 10−1. The mineral compositions of PHEs, viz. Ni, were bunsenite, Ni(OH)2, and trevorite; Mn viz., birnessite, bixbyite, hausmannite, manganite, manganosite, pyrolusite, and todorokite; Cr viz., chromite and eskolaite; Cu viz., CuCr2O4, cuprite, delafossite, ferrite-Cu, and tenorite; Cd viz., monteponite; Pb viz, crocoite, litharge, massicot, minium, plattnerite, Co viz., spinel-Co; Fe viz., goethite, hematite, magnetite, wustite, and ferrite-Zn; and Zn viz., zincite, and ZnCr2O4 demarcated undersaturation and supersaturation. However, EC, Ca2+, K+, Na+, HCO3−, Cr, Cd, Pb, Co, and Fe had exceeded the WHO guideline. The Nemerow’s pollution index (NPI) showed that EC, Ca2+, K+, Na+, HCO3−, Mn, Cd, Pb, Co, and Fe had worse water quality. Principal component analysis multilinear regression (PCAMLR) and cluster analysis (CA) revealed that 75% of the groundwater contamination originated from geogenic inputs and 18% mixed geogenic-anthropogenic and 7% anthropogenic sources. The HHRA-model suggested potential non-carcinogenic risks, except for Fe, and substantial carcinogenic risks for evaluated PHEs. The women and infants are extremely exposed to PHEs hazards. The non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks in children, males, and females had exceeded their desired level. The HHRA values of PHEs exhibited the following increasing pattern: Co > Cu > Mn > Zn > Fe, and Cd > Pb > Ni > Cr. The higher THI values of PHEs in children and adults suggested that the groundwater consumption in the entire region is unfit for drinking, domestic, and agricultural purposes. Thus, all groundwater sources need immediate remedial measures to secure health safety and public health concerns.

Hydrochemical characteristics and identification of groundwater pollution sources in tropical savanna

Groundwater pollution of the watershed is mainly influenced by the multifaceted interactions of natural and anthropogenic processes. In this study, classic chemical and multivariate statistical methods were utilized to assess the groundwater quality and ascertain the potential contamination sources affecting the groundwater quality of Galma sub-watershed in a tropical savanna. For this purpose, the data set of 18 groundwater quality variables covering 57 different sampling boreholes (BH) was used. The groundwater samples essentially contained the cations in the following order of dominance: Ca²⁺  > Na⁺  > Mg²⁺  > K⁺. However, the anions had HCO₃^- > Cl^- > SO₄^-2 > NO₃^- respectively. The hydrochemical facies classified the groundwater types of the sub-watershed into mixed Ca-Mg-Cl type of water, which means no cations and anions exceeds 50%. The second dominant water type was Ca-Cl. The Mg-HCO₃ water type was found in BH 9, and Na-Cl water type in BH 29 of the studied area. The weathering of the basement rocks was responsible for the concentrations of these ions in the groundwater chemistry of the sub-watershed. Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) grouped the groundwater samples (boreholes) into five clusters that are statistically significant regarding the similarities of groundwater quality characteristics. The principal component analysis (PCA) extracted two major principal components explained around 65% of the variance and suggested the natural and anthropogenic processes especially the agricultural pollutants including synthetic fertilizers, and leaching of agricultural waste as the main factors affecting the groundwater quality. The integrated method proved to be efficient and robust for groundwater quality evaluation, as it guaranteed the precise assessment of groundwater chemistry in the sub-watershed of the tropical savanna. The findings of this investigation could be useful to the policy makers for developing effective groundwater management plans for the groundwater resources and protection of the sub-watershed.

Response of groundwater chemical characteristics to land use types and health risk assessment of nitrate in semi-arid areas: A case study of Shuangliao City, Northeast China

Groundwater is an important source of water, especially in semi-arid areas. The assessment of the chemical characteristics of groundwater under different land use types the associated risk to human health is of important significance for water resources utilization and protecting the ecological environment. The present study analyzed the hydrochemical characteristics and ion sources of groundwater, taking Shuangliao City as an example. The analysis was based on the field investigation (82 water samples), descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, ion proportionality coefficient method, and principal component analysis (PCA). The results indicated that the concentrations of most ions in the aquifer had wide spatiotemporal variation and were susceptible to environmental influences. NO₃^- showed the highest spatial variability, with concentrations ranging from 0.0 to 529.48 mg·L^-1. The processes contributing the most to the chemical composition of groundwater were leaching/dissolution and cation exchange. The spatial distribution of groundwater chemistry types was visually obtained through the combined use of Piper trilinear charts and a Digital Terrain Model (DTM). The HCO₃-Ca type dominated. Groundwater Cl^-, SO₄^2-, and Ca²⁺ were negatively correlated with the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) due to the absorption of inorganic salt by vegetation roots, indicating that land use types affect groundwater hydrochemistry in the area. The hazard quotient (HQ) used in the human health risk assessment (HHRA) model indicated children (0.0010-6.4162) to be at the highest risk, followed by adult females (0.0007-4.0396), with adult males (0.0005-3.0863) under the lowest risk. The spatial distribution of groundwater nitrate was shown to pose risks to children, adult females, and adult males across 62.97%, 50.01%, and 39.34% of the study area, respectively. This study can improve the understanding of groundwater evolution and the relationship between water chemistry and land use types. This study can also guide the development and utilization of groundwater resources and conservation of water quality in semi-arid areas.

Hydrogeochemical Processes and Potential Exposure Risk of Arsenic-Rich Groundwater from Huaihe River Plain, China

Arsenic poses a danger to environmental health, and arsenic-rich groundwater is a key exposure risk for humans. The distribution, migration, and enrichment of arsenic in groundwater is an important environmental and public health problem. Currently, the Huaihe River Basin is identified as a region of arsenic-rich groundwater in China. This study aims to assess arsenic-rich groundwater potential pollution risk, analyze the hydrogeochemical processes, and trace the ion source based on an analysis of groundwater hydrogeochemical data. The results show that arsenic is the main inorganic chemical substances affecting the water quality in the study area, which presents a high exposure risk for public health. The arsenic concentration of groundwater was f 5.75 ± 5.42 μg/L, and 23% of the considered samples exceeded the drinking water standards of the World Health Organization. The groundwater in the study area underwent evaporation, halite dissolution, and ion exchange processes. The total alkalinity (HCO3−) of the arsenic-rich groundwater mainly ranged between 400–700 mg/L, and the chemical type was mainly of HCO3-Na. In an alkaline environment, the oxidative dissolution and reductive dissolution of arsenic bearing minerals might be the formation mechanism of arsenic-rich groundwater.

Chemical compositions evolution of groundwater and its pollution characterization due to agricultural activities in Yinchuan Plain, northwest China

Yinchuan Plain is a typically intensive cultivated region in the northwest of China. The irrigation return infiltration from Yellow River is the main source of groundwater recharge. Deep soil layers, sandy vadose zones, and dense irrigation canals make the groundwater susceptible to the return flow which contains pollutants originating mainly from agriculture applications, particularly from the extensive use of nitrogen fertilizer and manure. The pollution levels of phreatic water and confined water in NWS areas (non-water source areas) and WS areas (water source areas) of Yinchuan Plain in 2004 and 2014 were evaluated by the single-factor evaluation method, fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method, and average benchmark coefficient method, respectively. Piper trilinear diagram and scatter plots of major ions were used to classify water types and chemical facies, and further analyze the causes of groundwater pollution and the variation tendency of agricultural pollution. The results show that in 2014, about 50% of the groundwater samples were heavily polluted in Yinchuan Plain, the pollution level of phreatic water and confined water in NWS areas was up to level 5. And the groundwater within the standard in 2004 was heavily polluted in 2014 in WS areas, three-nitrogen pollution was the most serious pollutant, and the organic pollution level was grade IV. From the scatter plots of ions, it can be seen that the increase in concentrations of major ions was affected by evaporation-condensation and cation exchange reaction, but the complex ion contents indicated that groundwater was affected by human activities. The intensive agricultural activities, such as over fertilization, artificial irrigation, have led to concentrations increase of some chemical composition in groundwater.

Evaluation of Groundwater Using an Integrated Approach of Entropy Weight and Stochastic Simulation: A Case Study in East Region of Beijing

Groundwater is an important source of water in Beijing. Hydrochemical composition and water quality are the key factors to determine the availability of groundwater. Therefore, an improved integrated weight water quality index approach (IWQI) combining the entropy weight method and the stochastic simulation method is proposed. Through systematic investigation of groundwater chemical composition in different periods, using a hydrogeochemical diagram, multivariate statistics and spatial interpolation analysis, the spatial evolution characteristics and genetic mechanism of groundwater chemistry are discussed. The results show that the groundwater in the study area is weakly alkaline and low mineralized water. The south part of the study area showed higher concentrations of total dissolved solids, total hardness and NO3--N in the dry season and wet season, and the main hydrochemical types are HCO3--Ca and HCO3--Ca-Mg. The natural source mechanism of the groundwater chemical components in Chaoyang District includes rock weathering, dissolution and cation exchange, while the human-made sources are mainly residents and industrial activities. Improved IWQI evaluation results indicate that water quality decreases from southwest to northeast along groundwater flow path. The water quality index (WQI) method cannot reflect the trend of groundwater. Sensitivity analysis indicated that the improved IWQI method could describe the overall water quality reliably, accurately and stably.

Evaluating hydrogeochemical characteristics of groundwater and surface water in the Upper Pearl River Watershed, USA

The groundwater quality of the Upper Pearl River Watershed (UPRW) and surface water quality of the basin's outlet, Ross Barnett Reservoir (RBR), are critically important because of growing demands for drinking, agriculture, and industrial use in the region. To identify factors affecting water quality and characterize the surface water outlet and the watershed's groundwater, geochemical and statistical analyses were performed using results from various hydrogeochemical parameters. Based on surface geology, groundwater samples analyzed (n = 51) within the watershed were partitioned into three recharge zones: North, Mid, and South. Precipitation and rock-water interactions were identified to dominantly influence the groundwater chemistry in the region. The chemistry of the surface water samples (n = 9), on the other hand, was influenced more by precipitation with minor contribution from the proximal aquifer system. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that two groundwater recharge zones and RBR samples exhibited significant clustering. The groundwater had a complex array of parameters influencing its chemistry owing to diverse properties, including Na, Ca, Mg, alkalinity, and conductivity. Comparing land use at the sub-watershed level with the water quality parameters showed that agriculture and development could have contributed nitrate, especially to the groundwater in the south zone. However, a general lack of distinct relationship between land use and water quality, along with detection of excess nitrate in select wells suggested that the water in the region was likely affected by point sources, such as poultry farms. The research recommends evaluating point sources of pollution to cater to future water management in the region.

Potential risk assessment of groundwater to address the agricultural and domestic challenges in Ordos Basin

The safety of groundwater has been a great concern for irrigation and drinking purposes in recent decades due to the increasing impacts of anthropogenic activities. There are several standards to evaluate the groundwater quality for different utilization purposes. In this paper, 804 samples covering the entire Ordos Basin across five provinces were used to evaluate the irrigation suitability and human health risks. The results showed that the sequence of cationic concentration was Na⁺ > Ca²⁺ > Mg²⁺ > K⁺ > NH₄ ⁺, and the anion concentration was HCO₃ ^- > SO₄ ^2- > Cl^- > NO₃ ^- > F^- > NO₂ ^-. For drinking purposes, TDS, Na⁺, SO₄ ^2-, F^-, TH and NO₃ ^- exceed seriously the regulated standard in the study area. For irrigating purposes, 80% of the water in the study area belongs to "good water" according to the evaluation of salinity and alkalinity. Saline water which is not suitable for irrigation accounts for about 9%. High health risks of fluoride ions are mainly observed to the samples representing the western part of the study area, while the health risks of nitrates spread throughout the study area. Health risk is not only related to location, but also varies with age, and it is found that children suffer more threats than adults.

Assessment of potential health risk of major contaminants of groundwater in a densely populated agricultural area

As a key part of Bohai New Area development, Haixing County has been undergoing rapid development. In order to estimate potential risks of chemical parameters to human health of local residents, carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks via direct ingestion of drinking water were calculated using human health risk assessment (HHRS) based on triangular fuzzy number. The levels of pH, total dissolved solids, total harness, SO₄ ^2-, Na⁺, Cl^-, SO₄ ^2-, F^-, Fe (total iron), NO₃ ^-, and NO₂ ^- were more or less higher than the permissible limits except parameters As and Mn. The analysis results show that risk level for different crowds in the study area demonstrated an obvious variation, generally in the order of infants > children > adult males > adult females for non-carcinogenic risk values (R ⁿ), while the sequence of the carcinogenic risk values (R ^c) are adult males > adult females > children > infants. When the confidence level was 0.8, the non-carcinogenic risk values (R ⁿ) through drinking water intake were higher than 1, and this implied that potential health impacts on human health for local residents. However, the risks of carcinogenic risk values (R ^c) were lower than 1.0E-4, demonstrating minimal and acceptable health risk. Furthermore, according to the middle values (α = 1) of R ⁿ, the total non-carcinogenic risks for local residents were obtained in the following order: GW (Gaowan Town) > XJ (Xinji-Xiangfang County) > ZM (Zhaomaotao County) > HX (Haixing-Suji Town) > ZH (Zhanghuiting County) > XS (Xiaoshan County), and ZM > XJ > GW > HX > XS > ZH for R ^c. It was also found that the spatial distribution of fluoride level in drinking water is urgently needed to be identified. In conclusion, the potential health risks to residents should cause enough attention both from society and the academic community.

A characterization of groundwater fluoride, influencing factors and risk to human health in the southwest plain of Shandong Province, North China

This study investigated 324 groundwater samples collected from the southwest plain of Shandong Province during the dry and wet seasons. Groundwater fluoride in the study area and the influencing factors were characterized and discussed using statistical analysis, ion ratios, Piper diagrams, the saturation index (SI) and ArcGIS software. In addition, the risk posed by groundwater fluoride to human health was assessed. The results showed that groundwater in the study area had elevated fluoride concentrations, with average dry and wet season concentrations of 1.15 mg·L^-1 and 1.08 mg·L^-1, respectively. Groundwater fluoride showed consistent spatial variations during the dry and wet seasons, with a significant regionalization pattern of low concentrations in the east and high concentrations in the west. Groundwater F^- was significantly negatively correlated with Ca²⁺ and positively correlated with pH, HCO₃^- and Na⁺. Important factors identified as having an effect on groundwater F^- in the study area included the balance of dissolution of fluorite and calcite, the weakly alkaline environment and cation exchange. In addition, hydrochemical types of high-fluoride groundwater in the study area were identified as mainly HCO₃-Na and SO₄·Cl-Na. The assessment of the risk of high groundwater fluoride to human health showed that children are more at risk compared to adults, with the risk during the dry season exceeding that over the wet season. It is recommended that water quality management in the study area prioritize the formulation of measures to mitigate high concentrations of fluoride in groundwater .

Characterization of the hydrochemistry of water resources of the Weibei Plain, Northern China, as well as an assessment of the risk of high groundwater nitrate levels to human health

This study aimed to evaluate the hydrochemistry of the water resources of the Weibei Plain, Northern China, as well as the risks posed by high groundwater nitrate concentrations to human health. Groundwater and surface water samples numbering 168 and 14, respectively, were collected during the dry and wet seasons. Water in the study area was weakly alkaline, falling into a hard-fresh or hard-brackish category. The groundwater chemical types were mainly SO₄·Cl-Ca·Mg (59.5%) and HCO₃-Ca·Mg (28.6%), whereas the dominant chemistry type of surface water was SO₄·Cl-Na (78.6%). Groundwater showed relatively high concentrations of NO₃^-, with average dry and wet season concentrations of 212 mg·L^-1 and 223 mg·L^-1, respectively, whereas surface water had a low NO₃^- content. The major processes affecting water chemistry were determined to be rock weathering, such as silicate weathering and evaporative dissolution, as well as cation exchange. NO₃^- in groundwater was found to mainly originate from anthropogenic inputs such as agricultural production and domestic sewage. The entropy-weight water quality index (EWQI) assessment showed that although the quality of surface water was generally good, more than half of the groundwater samples failed drinking water standards, with NO₃^- identified as being the most problematic parameter affecting the water quality evaluation. Risk assessment of high groundwater nitrate concentrations indicated that long-term domestic use of groundwater in the study area can put the health of residents at great risk. Totals of 81% and 75% of the groundwater samples exceeded the acceptable limit for non-carcinogenic risk (HI = 1) to infants during the dry and wet seasons, respectively, whereas 75% and 71.3% of samples exceeded the acceptable limit for children, respectively. Future management of water in the Weibei Plain should prioritize the control groundwater nitrate pollution.

Hydrogeochemistry Assessment of Shallow Groundwater and Human Health Threats in the Northwestern Ordos Basin, China

Groundwater is the main sources of water supply for drinking purposes in the Ordos Basin in the northwestern part of China. In order to sustain and protect the quality of groundwater resources, shallow groundwater samples were collected and analyzed to identify the hydrogeochemical characteristics, and to evaluate health risk to human. Cluster analysis showed that the 134 groundwater samples were divided into three classes (i.e., class 1, class 2, class 3). The groundwater types are mostly characterized by SO₄-Cl type and SO₄ type, mixed HCO₃ type. The primary natural mechanisms controlling the chemical compositions are water-rock interaction and evaporation-precipitation. The extremely high concentrations of sulfate could be caused by contamination from pyrite or from infiltration of sulfate from inorganic fertilizers or from wastewater discharges. Results of the assessment of the health risks for ingestion of Cl^-, NO₃^-, F^-, Cr, and As in drinking water indicated that the total health risks are beyond the US EPA acceptable level of 10^-6 per year for consumption of groundwater sourced from all three cluster classes. The highest risks were for ingestion of arsenic and chromium in groundwater. The highest total risks to adults and children were 1.51 × 10^-5 and 2.45 × 10^-2 (class 1), 4.12 × 10^-4 and 8.98 × 10^-3 (class 2), 3.06 × 10^-3 and 5.49 × 10^-2 (class 3), respectively. The study showed that there is a high risk of health problems among the residents of the Ordos Basin in China that are ingesting contaminated drinking water, with the health risks to children higher than the risks to adults.

Quality Assessments of Shallow Groundwaters for Drinking and Irrigation Purposes: Insights from a Case Study (Jinta Basin, Heihe Drainage Area, Northwest China)

This study aimed to determine the hydrochemical characteristics and hydrogeochemical processes of shallow groundwater in the Jinta Basin, northwest China, and to evaluate the suitability of groundwater quality for drinking water and agricultural irrigation. A systematic hydrogeological survey was conducted in the study area from May 2017 to October 2018, during which 123 representative samples of groundwater were selected for analysis of chemical parameters and determination of the water quality index. The results showed that the pH of groundwater in the study area was weakly alkaline and ranged between 7.21–8.93. Dominant cations were Mg2+ and Na+ and the dominant anion was SO42−. Along the groundwater flow from the southwest to northeast, the dominant groundwater chemistry type in the recharge area was Mg-HCO3·SO4. After the transition of the groundwater types in the runoff area to Mg-SO4·HCO3 and Mg·Na-SO4, the groundwater type in the discharge area evolved into Na·Mg-SO4·Cl. The major factors driving the evolution of groundwater chemical types in the Jinta Basin were found to be rock weathering, evaporation and precipitation. The chemical components of groundwater mainly originated from the dissolution of silicate rock and evaporative concentration of salt under water-rock interaction, whereas the dissolution of carbonate had little influence. The quality of drinking water was divided into five groups, and 39.84% of samples fell within the high and good quality groups. The quality of agricultural irrigation water was divided into different grades according to different methods.

Assessment of the impact of natural and anthropogenic activities on the groundwater chemistry in Baotou City (North China) using geochemical equilibrium and multivariate statistical techniques

The rapid development of urbanization and agriculture poses serious impacts on groundwater in arid and semi-arid areas, which typically have high groundwater depletion rates. In this study, chemical and isotopic analyses combined with different data interpretation methods (diagrams, bivariate analyses, principal component analysis (PCA), and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA)) were used to identify the major factors controlling groundwater chemistry in an arid and semi-arid region of North China. Sixty-four groundwater samples (35 from unconfined aquifer, 29 from confined aquifer) were collected in Baotou City, North China, and 17 chemical variables were detected for each sample. The complex hydrochemical types in unconfined groundwater (e.g., HCO₃-Ca·Mg, HCO₃·Cl-Na·Mg, SO₄-Na·Mg, and Cl·SO₄-Na types) may be related to anthropogenic activities, while the main hydrochemical types in confined groundwater are HCO₃-Ca·Mg, HCO₃-Na·Mg, HCO₃·Cl-Na·Ca, SO₄·HCO₃-Na·Mg, and Cl·SO₄-Na types. Three component models for unconfined and confined groundwater were revealed using PCA, which explained approximately 79.69% and 80.68% of the data variance, respectively, providing a deeper insight into groundwater composition controlled by geochemistry and anthropogenic activities. Three clusters were yielded from HCA. The factors and identified clusters were verified with hydrochemical investigations. Among the natural factors, the main hydrochemical processes involve the dissolution of various minerals (halite, gypsum, feldspar, fluorite, mirabilite, biotite, dolomite, and calcite), cation exchange, evaporation, and mixing. The anthropogenic factors include domestic sewage intrusion and agricultural activities, which are most likely to lead to further declines in groundwater quality. These findings may be useful for improving groundwater resource management for sustainable development in arid and semi-arid areas.

Hydrogeochemical processes and suitability assessment of groundwater in the Jiaodong Peninsula, China

Groundwater is the primary source of water for domestic use and agricultural irrigation in Jiaodong Peninsula. This study collected 80 groundwater samples from Jiaodong Peninsula to characterize groundwater hydrogeochemical processes and the suitability of groundwater for domestic use and agricultural irrigation. The groundwater of Jiaodong Peninsula was categorized as slightly alkaline freshwater, with a Piper diagram classifying most samples as SO4·Cl-Ca·Mg and HCO₃-Ca·Mg types. Major ions were Ca²⁺, Na⁺, SO₄^2-, and HCO₃^-. The major processes driving the hydrochemistry of groundwater were identified as water-rock interactions as well as evaporation. The dissolution of silicate and cation exchange were the predominant hydrogeochemical processes responsible for groundwater chemistry. Four water samples showed seawater intrusion and some indicated pollution from anthropogenic activities such as industry, agriculture, and domestic sewage discharge. Overall, it was found that groundwater in most areas of Jiaodong Peninsula is suitable for domestic use and agricultural irrigation.

Temporal Variations of Spring Water in Karst Areas: A Case Study of Jinan Spring Area, Northern China

Jinan is known as “Spring City,” because of its famous 72 artesian springs. Spring water plays an important role in the social and economic development of Jinan. However, the accelerating process of urbanization and more intensive human activities have significantly affected the Jinan springs. Based on the data from four spring groups (2015–2018), the hydrochemical characteristics of spring water were analyzed and 14 parameters were selected to evaluate the quality of spring water. In addition, the main ions variation characteristics of spring water in Jinan from 1958 to 2018 were analyzed, based on the previous studies. Subsequently, the spring flow dynamics of the Jinan spring area from 1958 to 2012 were also discussed. Overall, the water quality of the four spring groups is good. The chemical composition of the spring water is mainly controlled by the dissolution of calcite, followed by dolomite, and de-dolomitization. However, spring water is affected by human activities, and the hydrochemical type tends to evolve from HCO3-Ca to HCO3·SO4-Ca or HCO3-Ca·Mg. From 1958 to 2013, the main ions in spring water increased, while a relatively steady and certain fluctuation trend was observed from 2015 to 2018. Since 1958, the spring water flow in Jinan has experienced four stages, from decline to recovery. The exploitation of karst groundwater, change of land use type, and decrease of atmospheric precipitation are the three most important factors, affecting spring discharge dynamics. The slowdown of the increase of the main ion concentration in Jinan spring water and the resumption of spring water flowing indicate that remarkable achievements have been made to protect spring water, but there is still a long way to go to fully protect Jinan spring water.

Nitrate contamination of groundwater in the Lower Volta River Basin of Ghana: Sources and related human health risks

A significant population within the Lower Volta River Basin of Ghana relies solely on untreated groundwater (GW) and surface water (SW) for various purposes. However, negative practices associated with increasing human activities pose threats to particularly GW quality in the basin. Using NO₃^- as a proxy, this study mainly focused on the status of GW contamination, origins of NO₃^- and potential human health risks through integrated hydrochemistry, correlation analysis, isotopes (¹⁵N, δ¹⁸O), Bayesian and USEPA human health risk models. Slightly acidic to alkaline GW and SW environments were observed. Electrical conductivity (EC) values above 1000 μS/cm were recorded in 45% of the GW with a maximum of 19370 μS/cm. NO₃^- in GW ranged from 0.12 to 733 mg/L with average 59.6 mg/L and positively correlated with K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg^2+, Cl^-, Na⁺ and EC. In SW, a maximum of 5.3 mg/L of NO₃^- was observed. Largely, 75% of the GW exceeded local background NO₃^- value of 2.1 mg/L, while 35% were above the WHO recommended value of 50 mg/L. Bivariate and correlation relationships elucidated human contributions to sources of NO₃^-, Cl^-, SO₄^2- and K⁺ to GW in the basin. From NO₃^-/Cl^- ratio, 43% of the GW and 21% of SW were affected by effluents and agrochemicals. Values for δ¹⁵N-NO₃^- and δ¹⁸O-NO₃^- ranged from +4.2‰ to +27.5‰ and +4.5‰ to +19.9‰ for GW, and from +3.8‰ to +14.0‰ and +10.7‰ to +25.2‰ for SW. Manure, septic effluents and mineralized fertilizers are sources of NO₃^- contamination of water in the basin. The Bayesian model apportioned 80% of GW NO₃^- contamination to sewage/manure. Hazard index indicated 70%, 50% and 48% medium to high-risk levels for infants, children and adults respectively, with 79% high-risk of SW NO₂^- contamination to infants. Immediate measures for GW and SW quality protection are recommended.

Evaluation of non-carcinogenic risks due to fluoride and nitrate contaminations in a groundwater of an urban part (Coimbatore region) of south India

Groundwater quality investigations were carried out in one of the urban parts of south India for fluoride and nitrate contaminations, with special focus on human health risk assessment for the rapidly growing and increasingly industrialized Coimbatore City. Twenty-five groundwater samples were collected and analyzed for physico-chemical parameters (EC, pH, TDS, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Cl^-, SO₄^2-, HCO₃^-, PO₄^3-, NO₃^-, and F^-) and the piper diagram characterized 60% of them as Ca-Mg-Cl type. Analysis of fluoride (0.1 to 2.4 mg/l) shows that 32% of the groundwater samples contain F^- over the permissible limit, affecting a region of 122.10 km². Nitrate (0.1 to 148 mg/l) is over the permissible limit in 44% of the groundwater samples spread over an area of 429.43 km². The total hazard indices (THI) of non-carcinogenic risk for children (0.21 to 4.83), women (0.14 to 3.35), and men (0.12 to 2.90) shows some of the THI values are above the permissible limit of the US Environmental Protection Agency. The THI-based non-carcinogenic risks are 60%, 52%, and 48% for children, women, and men. This investigation suggests higher health risk for children and also recommends that proper management plan should be adopted to improve the drinking water quality in this region in order to avoid major health issues in the near future.

Identification of hydrochemical genesis and screening of typical groundwater pollutants impacting human health: A case study in Northeast China

Concentrations of common pollutants in groundwater continue to increase, and emerging pollutants are also increasingly found worldwide, thereby increasingly impacting human activities. In this new situation, it is necessary, albeit more difficult, to once again recognize the hydrochemical genesis of groundwater and to subsequently screen the typical pollutants. Taking the groundwater of the Songnen Plain of Northeast China as an example, the hydrochemical genesis was identified using space interpolation, characteristic element ratio and factor analysis methods based on 368 groundwater samples. Subsequently, the typical pollutants with potential impacts on the health of the local residents were screened by the index system method newly established. All the measured hydrochemical compositions show an obvious spatial variation, with a uniform hydrochemical type of HCO₃-Ca in the whole area. Both the major compositions (K, Na, Ca, Mg, HCO₃, Cl and SO₄) and trace compositions (Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Pb, As, F, I and Se) are mainly protogenetic in an environment impacted by the lixiviation of groundwater in the migration process in the strata, although these compositions have been impacted by human activities to varying degrees. The mass concentration of NO₃-N has exceeded most of the major compositions except for HCO₃ and Ca, which means the nitrogen pollution problem is already very serious; and this problem is mainly caused by the utilization of fertilizers and the discharge of industrial wastewater and domestic sewage. Human activities have obviously disrupted the natural dynamic balance of these chemicals between the environment and the groundwater, thereby intensifying the release of F, Fe and Mn from the environment. TDS, total hardness, tri-nitrogen, F, Fe, Mn, Pb and As in some parts are found to exceed the standards of groundwater quality to varying degrees. As, Pb, Fe, NO₃-N, NO₂-N, Mn, F and NH₄-N are finally screened as the typical pollutants.

Hydrogeochemical Characteristics and the Suitability of Groundwater in the Alluvial-Diluvial Plain of Southwest Shandong Province, China

The alluvial-diluvial plain of southwest Shandong Province is an important agricultural economic zone and energy base in Shandong Province. Groundwater plays an extremely significant role in the development of the regional social economy. In this study, 50 sets of water samples, collected from 25 wells during October 2016 and June 2017, were utilized to determine the hydrogeochemistry and the suitability of groundwater in the alluvial-diluvial plain of southwest Shandong Province for different applications, such as drinking and irrigation. Most of the water samples could be classified as hard-fresh water or hard-brackish water, and the dominant water types were HCO3-Na and mixed types. Water-rock interactions and evaporation were the dominant controlling factors in the formation of the hydrochemical components in the groundwater. Dissolutions of silicate, calcite, dolomite, and gypsum are the major reactions contributing and defining the groundwater chemistry in this plain. Moreover, cation exchange is a non-negligible hydrogeochemical process in this plain. Calculated saturation index (SI) values indicate that aragonite, calcite and dolomite are saturated, while the SI values for gypsum and halite are unsaturated. Based on fuzzy comprehensive evaluation, the groundwater quality ranges from excellent to very poor. More than 50% of all groundwater samples from 2016 are categorized as poor or very poor, suggesting that the water from these wells is not suitable for drinking. According to the sodium adsorption ratio and percentage sodium, most of the samples are suitable for agricultural irrigation. Overall, the quality of the groundwater in 2017 was found to be better than in 2016.

Hydrogeochemical Evolution Along Groundwater Flow Paths in the Manas River Basin, Northwest China

The impacts of long-term pumping on groundwater chemistry remain unclear in the Manas River Basin, Northwest China. In this study, major ions within five surface water and 105 groundwater samples were analyzed to identify hydrogeochemical processes affecting groundwater composition and evolution along the regional-scale groundwater flow paths using the multivariate techniques of hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal components analysis (PCA) and traditional graphical methods for analyzing groundwater geochemistry. HCA classified the groundwater samples into four clusters (C1 to C4). PCA reduced the dimensionality of geochemical data into three PCs, which explained 86% of the total variance. The results of HCA and PCA were used to identify three zones: "recharge," "transition," and "discharge." In the recharge zone the groundwater type is Ca-HCO₃ -SO₄ and is primarily impacted by the dissolution of calcite and silicate weathering. In the transition zone the groundwater type is Ca-HCO₃ -SO₄ -Cl and is impacted by rock dissolution and reverse ion exchange. In the discharge zone the groundwater type is Na-Cl and is impacted by evaporation and reverse ion exchange. In addition, anthropogenic activities impact the groundwater chemistry in the study area. The groundwater type generally changes from Ca-HCO₃ -SO₄ in the recharge area to Na-Cl in the discharge area along the regional-scale groundwater flow paths. This study provides a process-based knowledge for understanding the interaction of groundwater flow patterns and geochemical evolution within the Manas River Basin.

Hydrochemical assessment of surface and ground waters used for drinking and irrigation in Kardeh Dam Basin (NE Iran)

Water quality for drinking and irrigation usage was examined in Kardeh dam basin in NE Iran. Thirty-two surface and groundwater samples were collected and analyzed for major ions of Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, HCO₃^-, CO₃^2-, SO₄^2- and Cl^- by using standard analytical methods of titration and atomic absorption spectrophotometry at geochemistry laboratory of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. Dominant cation in most of the water samples are Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺, and dominant anion is HCO₃^-. Water quality index (WQI) was calculated based on physicochemical parameters such as pH, EC and major ions. The WQI values were less than 100 (maximum permissible value) for all samples and suitable for drinking usage; nevertheless, water quality decreased from northwest toward the southeast of studied area. Also, based on modified NSFWQI, the water resources were classified into average and good categories, which are suitable for irrigation uses. More than 40% of the samples are not suitable for irrigation uses based on magnesium hazard values. Carbonate rocks have the main effect on hydrogeochemical facies and the water quality in studied area. According to drinking and irrigation indices, water quality is reducing from upstream toward downstream to the southeast of the basin.

Overexploitation hazards and salinization risks in crucial declining aquifers, chemo-isotopic approaches

Bastam region is overusing its groundwater resources stocks. The groundwater levels, and hydrogeochemical data during a 14-year period (2002-2016) and isotopic composition (2016) of the 22 groundwater samples were investigated to determine the hydrogeological regime of Bastam Plain and identify the geochemical processes that control the groundwater quality. This plain is situated in a semi-arid region of northern Iran, mainly recharging from the carbonate Mountains in the north and southwest. In general, overexploitation of the groundwater due to low precipitation and changing precipitation regime has destructive effects on the hydrogeological setting and flow regime of Bastam crucial aquifer, including the decline of the groundwater level with rate of 0.9 m/year, water storage deficit of 17.32 Mm³/year and consequently, the intrusion of saline water towards the aquifer from the western and eastern salty plains. Based on the EC values, the groundwater samples divided into three groups of fresh waters with EC < 1000 μS/cm and Ca-Mg-HCO₃ water type which are located in the recharge zones, semi-saline waters (1000 < EC < 2500 μS/cm) with Na-Mg-Cl-SO₄ type at the center and saline waters with EC values more than 2500 μS/cm and Na-Cl type in the eastern and western parts of the plain. A few groundwater samples (group 2) fall on the mixing line between fresh and saline water in Piper diagram during the saline water intrusion, but most of the samples depart from this mixing line, indicating water-rock interactions in this area, resulting in deficit of Na⁺ and surplus of Ca²⁺ concentration. The fresh water samples cluster along the local meteoric water line in δ¹⁸O and δ²H relationships, suggesting an integrative and rapid recharge with meteoric water. Hydrochemical and isotopic characteristics indicate that invasion of the saline water resulted from halite dissolution with minor evaporation in the surrounding salty playas is the main origin for the increasing salinity in the Bastam aquifer. The salinization risks limit the groundwater withdrawals from Bastam aquifer in some areas, threatening the future sustainable development of the region.

Hydrogeochemical processes identification and groundwater pollution causes analysis in the northern Ordos Cretaceous Basin, China

It is necessary to identify the hydrogeochemical processes and analyze the causes of groundwater pollution due to the lack of knowledge about the groundwater chemical characteristics and the endemic diseases caused by groundwater pollution in the northern Ordos Cretaceous Basin. In this paper, groundwater chemical facies were obtained using the piper trilinear diagram based on the analysis of 190 samples. The hydrogeochemical processes were identified using ionic ratio coefficient, such as leaching, evaporation and condensation. The causes and sources of groundwater pollution were analyzed by correspondence analysis, and the spatial distribution and enrichment reasons of fluoride ion were analyzed considering the endemic fluorosis emphatically. The results show that leaching, evaporation and condensation, mixing, and anthropogenic activities all had significant impact on hydrogeochemical processes in the study area. However, cation exchange and adsorption effects were strong in the S2 and S3 groundwater flow systems, but weak in S1. Groundwater is mainly polluted by Mn and COD_Mn in the study area. The landfill leachate, domestic sewage, and other organic pollutants, excessive use of pesticides and fertilizers in agriculture, and pyrite oxidation from long-term and large-scale exploitation of coal are the sources of groundwater pollution. The S1 has the highest degree of groundwater pollution, followed by S2 and S3. High concentration of fluoride ion is mainly distributed in the north and west of study area. Evaporation and condensation and groundwater chemistry component are the most important causes of fluoride ion enrichment. The results obtained in this study will be useful for understanding the groundwater quality for effective management and utilization of groundwater resources and assurance of drinking water safety.

Multivariate statistical analysis to characterize/discriminate between anthropogenic and geogenic trace elements occurrence in the Campania Plain, Southern Italy

Shallow aquifers are the most accessible reservoirs of potable groundwater; nevertheless, they are also prone to various sources of pollution and it is usually difficult to distinguish between human and natural sources at the watershed scale. The area chosen for this study (the Campania Plain) is characterized by high spatial heterogeneities both in geochemical features and in hydraulic properties. Groundwater mineralization is driven by many processes such as, geothermal activity, weathering of volcanic products and intense human activities. In such a landscape, multivariate statistical analysis has been used to differentiate among the main hydrochemical processes occurring in the area, using three different approaches of factor analysis: (i) major elements, (ii) trace elements, (iii) both major and trace elements. The elaboration of the factor analysis approaches has revealed seven distinct hydrogeochemical processes: i) Salinization (Cl^-, Na⁺); ii) Carbonate rocks dissolution; iii) Anthropogenic inputs (NO₃^-, SO₄^2-, U, V); iv) Reducing conditions (Fe²⁺, Mn²⁺); v) Heavy metals contamination (Cr and Ni); vi) Geothermal fluids influence (Li⁺); and vii) Volcanic products contribution (As, Rb). Results from this study highlight the need to separately apply factor analysis when a large data set of trace elements is available. In fact, the impact of geothermal fluids in the shallow aquifer was identified from the application of the factor analysis using only trace elements. This study also reveals that the factor analysis of major and trace elements can differentiate between anthropogenic and geogenic sources of pollution in intensively exploited aquifers.

Identification of the dominant hydrogeochemical processes and characterization of potential contaminants in groundwater in Qingyuan, China, by multivariate statistical analysis

In karst areas, groundwater is an important water source for drinking and irrigation purposes; however, karst aquifers are vulnerable and recovery from damage is difficult. We collected surface water (pond and river water) and groundwater (hand-pump well, dug well, and borehole water) samples in Qingyuan city, China, to determine the major chemicals in the water with the primary goals of evaluating the geochemical composition, identifying the geochemical processes governing the water chemistry, and identifying the probable sources of potential contaminants in shallow and deep groundwater in the study area. The results revealed marked differences in water chemistry between shallow and deep groundwater. The groundwater composition was largely controlled by rock–water interactions, particularly the dissolution of evaporite minerals (e.g., calcite, gypsum, and anhydrite), and ion exchange processes were important drivers of the chemical compositions of groundwater in the study area. Moreover, in shallow and deep groundwater, Mg²⁺ and SO₄²⁻ concentrations were increased due to the long residence time of deep groundwater, while K⁺ and Na⁺ concentrations were decreased due to anthropogenic input. Finally, factor analysis of the major and trace elements differentiated between anthropogenic and geogenic sources of potential contaminants in karst aquifers.

In karst areas, groundwater is an important water source for drinking and irrigation purposes; however, karst aquifers are vulnerable and recovery from damage is difficult.